PART 1
NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: JOINING UP
What is meant by desensitizing a horse. The technique: Step 1 Joining up in the bull pen
CHAPTER 2: THE (UNDERESTIMATED, INCREDIBLE) VALUE OF LUNGING
Joining up prior to lunging. To summarize. Stage 2. Disengaging the forequarters. Disengaging the hindquarters. Desensitizing in the bull pen with a rope, and teaching the horse to let its feet be picked up. Lunging.
CHAPTER 3: WORK IN THE DESENSITIZING PEN
Putting the halter on. Teaching flexibility. Long lines: teaching to rein. Saddle up and mount. Alternative method of mounting.
CHAPTER 4: BACK TO THE BULL PEN: REINING AND RIDING
CHAPTER 5: REFINING THE FINISHED PRODUCT
Softening the neck. Disengaging the hindquarters. Disengaging the hindquarters from the saddle. Summary: To disengage the hindquarters. Disengaging the hindquarters along a fence. Moving in circles. Exercises in a pattern to teach the horse going on a straight line without having to keep guiding him. To teach side passes. Vertical flexion.
CHAPTER 6: VICES AND THEIR REMEDIES
The horse which runs into a corner if you want to catch him. What to do with a horse which pushes for home and gets out of control. Spooking – its causes and remedy. Spooking – an overlooked jewel in solving the problem.
CHAPTER 7: THE STEPS OF TAMING A GREEN HORSE UP TO BEING RIDDEN
Analysing temperament type.
Step 1 Join up
Step 2 Touching and catching
Step 3 Putting the halter on and touching all over
Step 4 Bridling
Step 5 Suppling
Step 6 Disengaging
Step 7 Reining (Guiding)
Step 8 Tieing
Step 9 The saddle cloth and saddle
Step 10 Mounting
Step 11 Riding
ADVANCED TRAINING TECHNIQUES
Step 1 Join up
Step 2 Touching and catching
Step 3 Putting the halter on and touching all over
Step 4 Pulling with the rope and tying
Step 5 The “three leg”. Lying down. Ultimate desensitizing.
Step 6 Bareback mounting
Step 7 Bridling
Step 8 Suppling
Step 9 Reining (Guiding)
Step 10 Disengaging the forequarters
Step 11 The saddle cloth and saddle
Step 12 Mounting and dismounting with saddle
Step 13 Riding
TAMING TECHNIQUE FOR NERVOUS HORSES: MINIMUM STRESS METHOD
Step 1: The first encounter, the round pen
Step 2: Join up
Step 3: Backing
Step 4: Roping
Step 5: Bridling
Step 6: Suppling
Step 7: Reining (Guiding)
Step 8: Disengaging the forequarters
Step 9: The saddlecloth
Step 10: Mounting and dismounting with saddle
Step 11: Riding
CHAPTER 8: INDISPENSABLE TECHNIQUES IN GREEN HORSE TRAINING
Moving and positioning the horse. Positioning and being led. Lunging prior to riding. Rubbing of poll and nose to flex neck. Picking up feet. Getting the horse to follow you. Effective blindfolding, the ultimate cure for nervousness, insecurity, disrespect and aggression. Partial blocking of vision for a horse which doesn’t trust you behind it. Whip training to build confidence and calm a horse down. Getting rid of kicking and fear of humans right behind it. Easy mounting for a horse which moves around. The remedy for a horse which is difficult to bridle, bites, kicks and strikes. Technique to familiarize horse with image of person mounting, image of human in the saddle etc.. Very effective, easy technique for desensitizing. Effective technique for teaching flexion. The most effective and fastest technique to teach a horse flexion. Teaching a horse to go through a gate. Desensitizing. Group calming. Spraying with water after a workout – a very easy, effective way of desensitizing. The breaking point. Stress level and body language. The fastest, easiest, safest and most effective way of preparing a green horse for the first ride. Solution for a horse which won’t leave the herd or stable, because of being herd bound. A horse which is irritated and “looks for a fight”. A green (or old) horse which doesn’t want to move. The pessoa – one of the least known, but one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in a horse’s development in preparation for training. Catching the hard-to-catch horse. A tried and tested technique to cure a horse which rears. An almost infallible technique to control a horse which refuses to get under control. Curing a horse which bites.
CHAPTER 9: THE SEVEN GAMES (INSPIRED BY PAT PARELLI)
The friendly game. The porcupine game. The driving game. The yo-yo game. The circling game. The sideways game. The squeeze game. The “Umgugupana” – my adapted technique of the seven games. First exercise: back and forth (my equivalent of Pat Perelli’s Yo-Yo game). Second exercise: disengaging the forequarters. Third exercise: sideways movement. Fourth exercise: driving.